What is Word Surfer?
If you start seeing advertisements labeled as “Ads by Word Surfer,” then you definitely have the adware program Word Surfer on your computer. The program’s supposed purpose is to help users with their browsing. Its developers promise that it will help you look up information online. Simply highlight a given piece of text, and Word Surfer will show you results for that text on Wikipedia and Bing. This seems neat, and definitely draws the interests of some users. However, due to the fact that Word Surfer is classified as adware, it is recommended that you remove it from your computer.
What Does Word Surfer Do?
The main goal of Word Surfer is not to help users, but to present them with advertisements. This is how its developers create revenue. Unfortunately for users, the program will absolutely bombard them with ads whenever they are browsing the web. The ads will appear in the form of pop-ups and banners. They can offer a range of things: from popular items and discounts to items that are relevant to your interests. This is possible as Word Surfer collects information on the user’s browsing. Another thing that you should know is that Word Surfer can generate these ads on Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, and Google Chrome. The program is a browser extension that is compatible with the three most popular browsers.
Where Did It Come From?
Most likely, you have not installed Word Surfer yourself. Adware programs are notorious for getting installed without users noticing. They accomplish this through being attached to freeware installers. If you are not careful while installing free applications, then it is very likely that you will accidentally install unwanted programs such as Word Surfer.
Why Should I Remove Word Surfer?
Adware programs are not something you want to have on your computer, and it is not only because they are annoying. The bigger issue is that Word Surfer can expose your computer to virtual threats. You are probably wondering how exactly. Well, no one actually checks whether the ads that the program features are real or not. The developers are just interested in getting paid. So they may very well show misleading ads that will transfer users to malicious websites. Cyber criminals have numerous ways of scamming users. Sometimes they will offer them to participate in a raffle or claim they have won a prize, then they will want them to share their personal and possibly financial details. At other times they will send an infection to their computer that will do all of this itself. What is more, Word Surfer can share the information that it has collected on your browsing and disclose it to third parties. This means that cyber criminals can customize the ads so that they fit your precise interests. This only increases the chances of you clicking on a malicious ad.
How to Remove Word Surfer?
Uninstalling Word Surfer will suffice to get rid of it for good. Go to the list of programs via Control Panel, find its entry and click Uninstall. However, there may be more unwanted programs on your computer that have the same functions; there may also be malware if Word Surfer has been on your PC for a while. This is why you should seriously consider installing a reliable security tool on your PC that will protect it against all attacks.
Spy Hunter scanner will only detect the threat. If you want the threat to be automatically removed, you need to purchase the full version of the anti-malware tool.Find Out More About SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool / How to Uninstall SpyHunter
1. Remove/Uninstall WordSurfer in Windows
Here is a method in few easy steps to remove that program. No matter if you are using Windows 8, 7, Vista or XP, those steps will get the job done. Dragging the program or its folder to the recycle bin can be a very bad decision. If you do that, bits and pieces of the program get left behind, and that can lead to unstable work of your PC, mistakes with the file type associations and other unpleasant activities. The proper way to get a program off your computer is to Uninstall it. To do that:
Select the program that you want to remove, and press “Uninstall” (fig.3).
Follow the instructions above and you will successfully uninstall WordSurfer.
2. Remove WordSurfer from your browser
Remove a toolbar from Mozilla Firefox
Remove a toolbar from Google Chrome
Remove a toolbar from Internet Explorer
Remove a toolbar from Safari
Select the “Add-ons” icon from the menu
Select WordSurfer and click “Remove“
After WordSurfer is removed, restart Mozilla Firefox by closing it from the red “X” in the top right corner and start it again.
Select WordSurfer to remove, and then click ‘Disable’. A pop-up window will appear to inform you that you are about to disable the selected toolbar, and some additional toolbars might be disabled as well. Leave all the boxes checked, and click ‘Disable’.
After WordSurfer has been removed, restart Internet Explorer by closing it from the red ‘X’ in the top right corner and start it again.
Open the drop menu by clicking on the sprocket icon in the top right corner.
From the drop menu select ‘Preferences’
In the new window select ‘Extensions’
Click once on WordSurfer
Click ‘Uninstall’
A pop-up window will appear asking for confirmation to uninstall WordSurfer. Select ‘Uninstall’ again, and the WordSurfer will be removed.
3. Remove WordSurfer automatically with Spy Hunter Malware – Removal Tool.
To clean your computer with the award-winning software Spy Hunter –
It is highly recommended to run a scan before purchasing the full version of the software to make sure that the current version of the malware can be detected by SpyHunter.
- Guide 1: How to Remove WordSurfer from Windows.
- Guide 2: Get rid of WordSurfer from Mac OS X.
- Guide 3: Remove WordSurfer from Google Chrome.
- Guide 4: Erase WordSurfer from Mozilla Firefox.
- Guide 5: Uninstall WordSurfer from Microsoft Edge.
- Guide 6: Remove WordSurfer from Safari.
- Guide 7: Eliminate WordSurfer from Internet Explorer.
Windows Mac OS X Google Chrome Mozilla Firefox Microsoft Edge Safari Internet Explorer
How to Remove WordSurfer from Windows.
Step 1: Boot Your PC In Safe Mode to isolate and remove WordSurfer
Step 2: Uninstall WordSurfer and related software from Windows
Here is a method in few easy steps that should be able to uninstall most programs. No matter if you are using Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista or XP, those steps will get the job done. Dragging the program or its folder to the recycle bin can be a very bad decision. If you do that, bits and pieces of the program are left behind, and that can lead to unstable work of your PC, errors with the file type associations and other unpleasant activities. The proper way to get a program off your computer is to Uninstall it. To do that:
Follow the instructions above and you will successfully uninstall most programs.Step 3: Clean any registries, created by WordSurfer on your computer.
The usually targeted registries of Windows machines are the following:
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
You can access them by opening the Windows registry editor and deleting any values, created by WordSurfer there. This can happen by following the steps underneath:
Tip: To find a virus-created value, you can right-click on it and click "Modify" to see which file it is set to run. If this is the virus file location, remove the value.Before starting "Step 4", please boot back into Normal mode, in case you are currently in Safe Mode.
This will enable you to install and use SpyHunter 5 successfully.
Windows Mac OS X Google Chrome Mozilla Firefox Microsoft Edge Safari Internet Explorer
Get rid of WordSurfer from Mac OS X.
Step 1: Uninstall WordSurfer and remove related files and objects
1. Hit the ⇧+⌘+U keys to open Utilities. Another way is to click on “Go” and then click “Utilities”, like the image below shows:
- Go to Finder.
- In the search bar type the name of the app that you want to remove.
- Above the search bar change the two drop down menus to “System Files” and “Are Included” so that you can see all of the files associated with the application you want to remove. Bear in mind that some of the files may not be related to the app so be very careful which files you delete.
- If all of the files are related, hold the ⌘+A buttons to select them and then drive them to “Trash”.
In case you cannot remove WordSurfer via Step 1 above:
In case you cannot find the virus files and objects in your Applications or other places we have shown above, you can manually look for them in the Libraries of your Mac. But before doing this, please read the disclaimer below:
You can repeat the same procedure with the following other Library directories:
→ ~/Library/LaunchAgents
/Library/LaunchDaemons
Tip: ~ is there on purpose, because it leads to more LaunchAgents.
Step 2: Scan for and remove malware from your Mac
When you are facing problems on your Mac as a result of unwanted scripts, programs and malware, the recommended way of eliminating the threat is by using an anti-malware program. Combo Cleaner offers advanced security features along with other modules that will improve your Mac’s security and protect it in the future.
Windows Mac OS X Google Chrome Mozilla Firefox Microsoft Edge Safari Internet Explorer
Remove WordSurfer from Google Chrome.
Step 1: Start Google Chrome and open the drop menu
Step 2: Move the cursor over "Tools" and then from the extended menu choose "Extensions"
Step 3: From the opened "Extensions" menu locate the unwanted extension and click on its "Remove" button.
Step 4: After the extension is removed, restart Google Chrome by closing it from the red "X" button at the top right corner and start it again.
Windows Mac OS X Google Chrome Mozilla Firefox Microsoft Edge Safari Internet Explorer
Erase WordSurfer from Mozilla Firefox.
Step 1: Start Mozilla Firefox. Open the menu window
Step 2: Select the "Add-ons" icon from the menu.
Step 3: Select the unwanted extension and click "Remove"
Step 4: After the extension is removed, restart Mozilla Firefox by closing it from the red "X" button at the top right corner and start it again.
Windows Mac OS X Google Chrome Mozilla Firefox Microsoft Edge Safari Internet Explorer
Uninstall WordSurfer from Microsoft Edge.
Step 1: Start Edge browser.
Step 2: Open the drop menu by clicking on the icon at the top right corner.
Step 3: From the drop menu select "Extensions".
Step 4: Choose the suspected malicious extension you want to remove and then click on the gear icon.
Step 5: Remove the malicious extension by scrolling down and then clicking on Uninstall.
Windows Mac OS X Google Chrome Mozilla Firefox Microsoft Edge Safari Internet Explorer
Remove WordSurfer from Safari.
Step 1: Start the Safari app.
Step 2: After hovering your mouse cursor to the top of the screen, click on the Safari text to open its drop down menu.
Step 3: From the menu, click on "Preferences".
Step 4: After that, select the 'Extensions' Tab.
Step 5: Click once on the extension you want to remove.
Step 6: Click 'Uninstall'.
A pop-up window will appear asking for confirmation to uninstall the extension. Select 'Uninstall' again, and the WordSurfer will be removed.
Windows Mac OS X Google Chrome Mozilla Firefox Microsoft Edge Safari Internet Explorer
Eliminate WordSurfer from Internet Explorer.
Step 1: Start Internet Explorer.
Step 2: Click on the gear icon labeled 'Tools' to open the drop menu and select 'Manage Add-ons'
Step 3: In the 'Manage Add-ons' window.
Step 4: Select the extension you want to remove and then click 'Disable'. A pop-up window will appear to inform you that you are about to disable the selected extension, and some more add-ons might be disabled as well. Leave all the boxes checked, and click 'Disable'.
Step 5: After the unwanted extension has been removed, restart Internet Explorer by closing it from the red 'X' button located at the top right corner and start it again.
